


Ready To Engage

by changenotcoins



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:21:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26957251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/changenotcoins/pseuds/changenotcoins
Summary: Newly engaged Leslie and Ben decide to christen the shower in their new home.
Relationships: Leslie Knope/Ben Wyatt
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	Ready To Engage

They decided to not tell anyone that night, to have their engagement remain as something precious and just between them, if only for a few more hours.

Leslie couldn't stop smiling; Ben would go completely quiet and still before shaking his head, pulling Leslie to him with a languid kiss before they went back to inane chatter and happy looks. Well, Leslie wasn't capable of much more than inane chatter. She felt like every nerve ending in her body was electrified, like she would fly into the stratosphere if she didn't reach over and touch or stroke the closest part of Ben available, like she was watching everything in a weird out-of-body experience.

So much time had passed since Ben Wyatt had walked into the Parks and Recreation department, into Leslie’s life and into her heart, since Leslie's future had walked into workplace, into her world. She remembered then when she had said "I love you," to the man sitting across from her, face wide with a sparkling grin, eyes crinkled with mirth, dark hair a little messy from Leslie playing with it as Ben built up the courage to ask her, just ask her already. Every now and then a shimmering wink caught Leslie's eye and her heart beat faster and her chest clenched and she felt slightly light-headed as she remembered all over again that Ben Wyatt had asked her to marry him.

Leslie was grateful for the clothes she'd chosen to wear that day, as they seemed to be keeping her inside her own skin. She was fairly certain that she might burst at any minute. Although, they were making it hard to breathe. Probably her own excitement, come to think of it.

Ben popped the champagne bottle at one point. They tried to tangle their arms together to sip their first glass on Leslie's insistence of it being tradition, but they found that it didn't work so well, sitting on the floor while leaning across a mini-picnic spread between them. Leslie moved to kneel next to Ben, drained her first glass in one go and leaned forward, the need to kiss her fiance - _fiancé_! - almost overwhelming, lifting the back of her wrist to her mouth to blot away any remnants of her drink.

Ben pulled Leslie's hand away to stop her. “Let me,” he said, leaning forward with a dark and hungry look.

At first, Ben just pressed his partially open mouth against Leslie's, but Leslie – still unable to keep her hands to herself – grabbed Ben's arm to pull him that much closer. Ben made a needy sort of noise, one that instantly reverberated through Leslie's spine and sent electric shocks through her whole body. Ben slipped his tongue along the edge of Leslie's teeth, before plunging deeper, the taste of champagne that still lingered in Leslie's mouth quickly being replaced by the familiar and heady scent that belonged to Ben.

They stayed there briefly, bodies straining to stay upright while pressed together on their knees, until Leslie was the first to break their kiss, burying her hand in Ben's hair while drawing her lips softly over Ben's eyelids and lashes.

“I love you, you know.”

Ben's hand flexed against Leslie's back briefly. “I do,” he said. He laid his forehead on Leslie's shoulder, wrapping his arms tightly around Leslie's waist. “Every time you say it, it feels like that first time.”

Leslie bit her lip, trying to control the huge smile that kept appearing. She'd shared some unbelievably happy moments in her life with others, with this man in her arms, actually, but nothing could compare to the joy that had permeated every cell in her body when she knew that they were going to be… Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt? Knope-Wyatt? Or maybe just Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt, names the same but joined together in marriage? Oh fuck, they’d figure it out eventually. Legally, emotionally, and completely his.

“Ben, you can't just say things like that. Especially not when I don't have something equally romantic to casually toss back at you.”

Ben laughed softly, drawing his nose lightly along the long column of Leslie's neck. He whispered into Leslie ear, threatening to buckle Leslie's knees yet again, “I'm pretty sure that nothing tops 'Yes' on the romantic scale.”

Leslie's arms tightened as a sigh escaped her lips. How was this her life? Seriously? She raked her fingers through Ben's hair and whispered back, “I'm pretty sure 'Will you marry me?' beats all of them.”

Ben framed Leslie's face, his eyes closed and his breathing running towards ragged as he pressed their foreheads together and smiled as his thumbs stroked along Leslie's cheekbones. “Leslie, I feel like the luckiest man alive. I... God, I am so proud that I get to be your husband.”

“Say that again, please?” Leslie could barely breathe.

Ben opened his eyes, nothing but honest affection in their depths. “I get to be your husband, Leslie.”

Leslie's breath came out in one big whoosh, part laugh, part incredulous. “So, if this all turns out to be some kind of dream, and I wake up back in grade school as a sad little girl longing for love - ”

Ben shut her hysteria down with a searing kiss, his hand buried in Leslie's hair and tugging a little. “Shush.”

“Okay,” Leslie replies, finally getting her hands up and under Ben's dress shirt, reassured that this was real by the warmth of Ben's skin, and oh, that's Ben's tongue so yeah, maybe this is actually happening.

Ben's kiss ends with him sucking Leslie's lower lip between his teeth and a tiny, chest rumbly growl.

Definitely happening.

Leslie smiled against Ben's mouth, both hands skimming up Ben's sides, with just enough pressure to be on the right side of not very ticklish. She sighed into Ben's mouth, fingers flexing against the hard muscle of his back as Ben buried both hands into Leslie's hair, tugging slightly to guide Leslie's head where he wanted it.

And currently, he wanted it out of the way so Ben could drag his teeth and tongue down Leslie's neck.

Which was completely fine by Leslie. In fact, Leslie took to pulling her hands out from under Ben's shirt to undo the top few buttons to his fitted shirt.

“Better?”

“Much,” Ben replied, pulling the collar of Leslie's shirt to the side to get at the delicate skin that had previously been covered up.

Sighing helplessly, Leslie curled her fingers in the slight smattering of hair on Ben's chest, stroking her thumbs across Ben's pecs as her toes curled from whatever it was that Ben was doing with his teeth presently. One particular swipe of Leslie's thumb was evidently too much for Ben, and he jerked in Leslie's arms, his foot kicking out slightly to knock over his mostly-empty glass of champagne.

“Whoops,” Ben muttered, trying to right the glass, get a napkin to blot up the spill, and not let go of Leslie all at the same time.

Leslie shook her head, smiling, and pulled away so they could attend to the tiny mess. Leslie was okay with the break – her knees were hurting from kneeling on the wood floor, so she sat down with her back against one of their new walls.

Ben settled back on his heels with a bashful smile and a sodden paper napkin. Leslie held out one of the plastic lids from the food containers and accepted the mess, pushing it to the side and out of the way. Ben moved to sit by Leslie's left side, leaning against her shoulder and tangling their hands together as Leslie pressed her cheek to the top of Ben's shoulder, feeling happy and peaceful. She loved that they could just be together, be in the same space, not needing to fill it with random chatter because their space was already filled with love and happiness for one another.

After a moment, Ben covered their joined hands with his left, and he idly stroked a finger down hers, twirling the ring on her finger and it made Leslie feel practically effervescent with the strength of her excitement and joy for what was to come. Warmth poured off of Ben's body, and Leslie realized with a start that with all of the work of the move and Ben’s travels with the campaign meant that they hadn't had time to be intimate in... shit, a few weeks? Maybe longer? Virtual kisses and trading I love you's over Skype was wonderful, but it wasn't the same.

Which was precisely why she'd planned the evening that she'd planned. A bit of a wicked grin spread across her face as she realized they had the entire night together. It must be why Ben was being so... attentive and touchy-feely. Well, Ben was always a bit handsy, something Leslie found out long ago in their relationship that she now had absolutely no problem with.

“Okay. That's it,” Leslie said, pushing Ben off of her. “I need you, like, yesterday.”

Ben sat back on his hands, looking up as Leslie got to her feet, a rather hurt expression on his face. And a rather impressive bulge in his pants, Leslie was proud to note. “So why the shoving?”

Leslie rolled her eyes and held a hand out to pull Ben to his feet. “I'm not - I'm sorry for the exuberance. Look, here's the plan.” Leslie pulled Ben flush against her, her hands sliding up Ben's back to be buried in his soft, dark hair. Her voice dropped to something quiet and husky as she spoke with unmistakable want against Ben's mouth. “I'm going to undress you, throw you in the shower, kiss you senseless and then...” She trailed off, wagging her eyebrows suggestively.

Ben gulped. Audibly and visibly gulped. In a tiny voice he replied, “Okay.”

“So, get in there, turn on the water, and I'll be right behind you,” Leslie said, backing away with a dark grin.

Ben shook his head and sighed. “Already with the domineering wife act.”

Leslie laid her hand flat on her chest and melted a little. “Aw. Wife! Ben!”

Ben laughed at her, beginning to shed the last vestiges of clothing, and fuck, there was his chest, and then there were his arms and they were so nice and his shirt was riding up a little bit in front and all Leslie could think of was -

“Sex. Right. Okay.” Leslie scurried off, following anxiously in anticipation behind Ben.

Leslie walked into the bathroom as Ben turned on the shower, a very impressive shower head that Leslie had installed earlier that day, pleased to see it working, and began toeing off his dress shoes. The plan had been to undress Ben herself, but then Ben reached behind his head and tugged at the neck of his shirt and pulled it over his head, making his stomach muscles flex and oh, that would work just fine, Leslie realized, unbuttoning her own shirt in record time.

Ben tossed his shirt into the corner where his shoes and belt were, and reached out to help Leslie with her clothes. These clothes weren't precious and she had every intention of letting Ben rip them off of her if that’s what he wanted to do. Because she was a planner.

Leslie had her mouth on Ben's neck as he kicked his pants off his feet, all while being pulled into the warm and steamy shower. Ben's hands drifted smoothly over Leslie's bare torso to rest at her hips. She was swiveled directly under the downpour of warm – almost too hot – water, only to be pulled flush against Ben's body, who was leaning back against the still-cool tiles. Ben was really the most considerate man. It was one of the many reasons why Leslie was so happy to have him in her life.

“Mm, I love you,” Leslie sighed, smiling. She shivered and was instantly wrapped back up in slick, wet, steamy Ben Wyatt. She wound her fingers into Ben's hair, knowing it would make him moan from the sensation and give Leslie the perfect opportunity to slide her tongue into Ben's mouth to kiss him more thoroughly. Her reward was satisfaction from the tiny whimpers that Ben couldn't help but make, and large, rough hands that tightly gripped Leslie's backside, only to stroke and pet soothingly moments later.

Ben was very affectionate; over the almost two years that they'd been together, Leslie had learned that there was a never-ending well of need in Ben – a need to love and be loved, to be touched, to be accepted. Leslie could understand it; finally being able to touch and kiss, to hold and caress someone and have them return the effort with equal fervor was simply amazing.

That freedom to touch and know that it was not only wanted but on a fundamental level needed... Who was Leslie to deny Ben that? Ben filled a void in her she hadn't known existed.

It had taken Leslie a long time to be comfortable knowing that Ben desired her, that who Leslie was intrinsically was what Ben hungered for. Ben looked at her and saw a woman he wanted to touch, to feel, to kiss, to fuck, to love.

It was something Leslie didn't think she could ever get over.

As a result of all of the demonstrative affection she'd been showered with over the past almost-two years, Leslie was willing to let Ben show her however he wanted. He happened to want to lick and suck everywhere on Leslie's body until she almost came, and Leslie was perfectly willing to let him. But first things first.

“You've been packing - ” Ben dragged the tip of his tongue up the side of Leslie's neck, sucking her earlobe into his mouth and releasing it with an almost purr. “ - and moving all day. Here.” Ben reached behind him towards the cubby where he'd already placed a freshly unwrapped bar of soap. He lathered up his hands and smiled as Leslie grinned from ear to ear and fell back against the tile, completely willing to submit to whatever Ben had in mind.

Ben had very little in mind besides images and need, so he had to force himself to remember to take his time, which then reminded him that they had all the time in the world. A feeling of possessiveness overtook him as he soaped down one shoulder and arm, ending with Leslie's left hand in his. He brought Leslie's hand to his mouth, kissing just around the shiny bit of metal and laced their fingers together.

When he looked back up, Leslie was staring at him with so much want in her gaze that Ben's breath hitched once in his chest just as Leslie surged forward with a passionate kiss. He turned their bodies so that Leslie was now pressed against the tile, hands up high and held in place by Ben's. It wasn't that Ben overpowered Leslie in moments like this, it was that the force of his need and desire for Leslie's love was still so surprising that she always had a moment of surrendering to it.

Ben's mouth left her gasping, face turned away from the water that ricocheted off Ben's body, as hot kisses and nibbles trailed down Leslie's neck and chest. Leslie was vaguely aware of Ben’s hands, feeling a little incoherent from the steam and warmth tangling her lust-riddled thoughts. Ben seemed to enjoy Leslie's pliant body as his slick and soapy hands stroked slowly over Leslie's chest, her arms, her belly only to slide even lower and glide his cock over her in a teasing way.

As Leslie tugged Ben's body even closer, his kisses became more breathing and teeth than any visible technique. Ben's hands circled Leslie's body, paying careful attention to Leslie's backside before slowly dancing their bodies back under the water to rinse all of the soap away. Leslie stepped back against the tile again, trying to draw Ben back to her to keep them from drowning, but Ben wouldn't come closer. She was confused for a moment until she registered that Ben was sinking to his knees, kissing down Leslie's body.

_Or this. This is fine._

All rational thought shut off when Ben pressed her against the wall and bit gently along the inside of Leslie's thigh, running his hands slowly upward, just enough pressure to get Leslie to step her feet apart more.

Leslie's fingers clawed at the tile for a moment when she felt Ben's mouth on her, and again as Ben's thumb lightly circled the path his tongue had just made.

“Fuck, Ben - ” Leslie drifted off when Ben flattened his tongue, stroking it roughly back and forth, the faint stubble on his beard tickling Leslie's inner thighs in the most delicious way. She dropped her head and moaned as Ben followed each stroke with a slow and steady finger, taking his time with every single touch.

Ben kneaded Leslie's ass in his hands, thumbs stroking just along her entrance while his tongue alternated between flat, rough drags and light traces until Leslie thought she would go crazy from the anticipation of finally having Ben inside her. And Ben knew it made Leslie crazy, but then again, he seemed to like it when Leslie went a little crazed with need. Which she was swiftly approaching, and mostly because Ben had begun pressing his tongue inside just enough to make sure Leslie knew what was coming.

 _Me in about ten seconds..._ “Ben,” she barely managed to gasp as she felt herself almost be lifted off her feet after one particularly vigorous stroke of the tongue and holy fuck, she loved how enthusiastic Ben was about oral sex.

Ben sat back on his heels, hands running up and down the backs of Leslie's thighs. “You were saying something earlier?”

“N-nothing,” Leslie breathed. “Wait. Something. No, nevermind. I can’t remember why I was protesting.” 

She looked underneath her, to see Ben sitting back on his heels again, head thrown back, and his body shaking with silent laughter.

“Leslie?”

Leslie's face was red, and not just from the heat and steam. “Yes?”

“You are my favorite. Now,” Ben came close again, drawing his fingers between Leslie's legs to tease her. “May I please fuck you?”

“Oh, by all means,” Leslie sighed out, unable to help the slight giddiness that hitched a ride with her reply. It was amazing that she could be this comfortable with someone. Laughing while naked? That was love. As much as she enjoyed the fiery passion in Ben's gaze earlier, this look, the one where Ben almost looked surprised that someone loved him, tempered by joy that Leslie did... well, that was Leslie's favorite.

But following that up with another of those fiery passion, half-lidded eyes looks was good too. Really good. Ben got to his feet in one fluid motion, curling his body around Leslie's back to kiss and nip along the edge of Leslie's shoulder, giving Leslie a wonderful view of his lashes, heavy with moisture and fanned out slightly across his cheeks. She felt her breath hitch as her heart clenched in her chest.

For the rest of her life. She would be with this man for the rest of her life. Leslie must have made a needy type of sound as Ben looked up, almost worried, before Leslie reached up to hold Ben's face, needing to kiss him, needing in that moment proof that this was really happening. Sometimes it still just seemed too good to be true.

Ben breathed Leslie's name into her mouth as his hand slipped back between Leslie's thighs, stroking and rubbing her until Leslie practically bit Ben's lower lip. The sensation of Ben finally sliding one glorious finger into her was such a welcome relief after all of that teasing that she had to press her cheek and shoulders against the tile, needing a cool counterpoint to the heat of Ben's hand pumping in and out of her. Ben curled further around her body, his cheek pressed to Leslie's neck, whispering her name over and over again as he worked another finger inside.

“Holy shit, Leslie,” Ben panted, pressing his teeth in a hint of a bite to Leslie's shoulder. “You’re so wet.”

“Fuck, I know,” Leslie said in an exhale, her voice barely audible over the sound of the water cascading over their bodies. Everything in her was focused on the amazing heat and slide from Ben's careful attention.

“Please tell me you’re ready for me, _please_ ,” Ben practically whined as he twisted his hand, pulling it out in a languorous stroke, only to press and twist back in, his long rough fingers not meeting any resistance.

“Yes, please. Just, let me - ” Leslie somehow found the strength to push herself away from the wall, turn herself around and bend down, open, ready and willing for Ben.

Ben carefully placed Leslie's hands on the edge of the cubby where there was actually a lip built in to keep the contents from spilling out and stood behind her, whispering directly into her ear, “Hold on tight,” as he gripped Leslie’s backside with one hand and lined himself up with the other.

“Jesus...” Leslie moaned, feeling Ben draw his length down the crack of Leslie's ass. Ben slid just the tip in, enough to get his hands onto Leslie's hips as he slowly pressed inside, the two groaning in tandem from the lack of any painful friction, just the hot, slick wet sensation of Leslie being filled swiftly and completely.

With his body blocking most of the heavy spray from Leslie's body, Ben rested his forehead between Leslie's shoulder blades, his breath sending warm puffs of air over Leslie's spine when he was fully in. “We’re going to be fucking in here all the time,” he said, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down Leslie's back. Good... the shower and its perks were well worth the investment.

Leslie let her head drop back and gave into the blissful thrumming pressure from Ben drawing back out only to surge forward again, dipping and twisting to make sure that every inch of Leslie's body felt it. Ben's hands moved from Leslie's hips up her chest, kneading her breasts and then holding her shoulders as he continued his slow and steady thrusts. Leslie let go of the tenuous hold on the soap dish to curl her left hand over Ben's forearm, arching her back and trying to not slip. Her legs were beginning to get a bit wobbly.

“I've got you,” Ben said, continuing to hold onto Leslie's shoulders and nuzzling the back of Leslie's neck, all without missing a beat. Leslie allowed herself to fully relax, knowing it to be true and _oh_ just there was that one place that felt so amazing, and she must have gasped or made some audible noise as Ben's voice rumbled low in her ear, “Yeah?” and he continued to hit that one perfect spot that really would make Leslie's legs buckle if he kept it up. God, she hoped he kept that up.

She must have said that out loud as Ben chuckled low and dark, saying, “I can.”

“Oh, thank God,” Leslie gasped, bracing herself once again with both hands, relaxing and clenching around Ben as he drove into Leslie's body over and over again, in the manner that she knew made Ben go a little crazy himself. She loved squeezing and clenching and giving Ben pleasure in that way, not wanting to just take from him. And it didn't hurt that it kept Ben stroking deep inside at just the right spot with deliberate, focused motions.

Ben relaxed his hold on Leslie's shoulders, sliding his hands back down Leslie's spine to grip her hips once again, his thighs pressed right against the backs of Leslie's as he swiveled his hips with each thrust, grunting a little from the effort as Leslie's breath stuttered out after each wet slap of their bodies.

Leslie managed to grab one of Ben's hands, pried it off her hip until Ben quickly took the hint that Leslie needed more, needed to be held close, needed the building tension in her body to find release soon. Ben kneaded her breast again, twisting a nipple between his finger.

“Fuck, Ben,” Leslie let her head drop again, letting out a low whine, feeling herself getting closer and closer to the edge. “It feels so good.”

She couldn't help the needy sounds she gasped out with each languid stroke of his cock and each twist of Ben's hand, and it was like every inch of her body was being carefully and lovingly attended to and it was so, so good and they were never, ever having sex anywhere else. Ever. 

Ben was just perfect inside her and around her; Leslie was afraid for a brief moment that she might actually black out from the heat and steam and the slowly building orgasm that she knew would hit her like a freight train soon.

They worked together, positioning their hips in a way to not only allow Ben to drive forward, but for Leslie to work herself underneath her own finger, and she was very sure right then that she was about to come so hard that the ground underneath them just might move. She could feel Ben's thighs tensing behind hers and joined her hand with Ben's on her clit, rubbing and almost sobbing out a breathy, “Please, please, please,” and she didn't even know what for. To come? To have this never end?

“Come for me, Leslie.”

Ben was practically plastered against her back, wet and heat and pleasure surrounding every inch of Leslie and it was almost too much. She slapped her free hand against the wall, pressing her face against her arm and tried to just breathe through the onslaught of sensation and steam. There was physical pleasure against her body and there was the feeling that every nerve ending was beginning to fire, white hot and electric as it raced down her spine, her body beginning to shake from the effort of just holding on, just waiting for it.

“I can't... Ben, I can't, I’m going to - ” Leslie's breath came out in a raspy stutter as she climaxed against the tile, her heart slamming against the walls of her chest as she pulsed over and over until spent, tiny tremors and chill-inducing aftershocks catching her breath as Ben held her through it, sucking low on Leslie's neck where it met her shoulder. When she thought her legs wouldn't actually give out from underneath her, she braced both of her arms against the wall again, her head falling back to Ben's shoulder as Ben's rhythm picked back up, his hands sliding back across Leslie's chest in a needy embrace.

“Oh, fuck,” Ben breathed as Leslie arched her back once again, just changing the angle enough to get Ben to snap his hips forward one, two, three, four more times, gasping Leslie's name as he buried himself fully inside and came, breathing heavily as if each exhalation was being ripped from his lungs. Leslie held one of Ben's arms, still across Leslie's chest to hold herself up and reached back overhead with the other to tangle her fingers in Ben's wet hair until she felt capable of such complicated actions like turning around.

They spent a moment catching their breath, making it difficult for themselves with the constant gentle kisses and whispered I love yous as their heart rates dropped down to something closer to normal. Ben gave Leslie's arm a gentle squeeze as he pulled out of her, sighing as Leslie pulled him into a warm hug, directing their spent bodies back under the deluge of water from the large rain-shower apparatus. After a moment or two, Leslie soaped their bodies up and smiled at Ben as he leaned against the wall to allow Leslie a chance to rinse off unobstructed.

“I see a design flaw here,” Leslie said, wiping the water off her face with one hand and moving aside for Ben to have a turn.

“There should be two?” Ben replied, nodding his head up towards the shower head as he rinsed his hair and face, eyes closed.

“There should be two,” Leslie agreed, her hand lightly tracing the muscles of Ben's torso.

Ben shut the water off, leaned over for a quick kiss, and grabbed two towels. He wiped his face dry and handed the other to Leslie. “Ugh, I'm a giant prune.”

“Mm, I like prunes,” Leslie said, running her towel behind her back to dry it off.

“You are so... Leslie Knope, I have never seen you eat a prune in my life.”

Leslie laughed softly, ducking her head a little. “Okay, so I've never actually eaten a prune. You know I’m not one for healthy things. But I like you pruney. It's how you're going to look when we're old and grey.”

Her chest filled almost to bursting with joy at the thought of growing old and grey with Ben – with her _husband_ Ben.

“Oh, I know I won’t be anything to look at when I’m old and grey, believe me.” Ben tried to maintain his indignant expression, but he was wrapping his towel around Leslie's hips, drawing her close. And he had that sweet grin on his face, the one that reminded Leslie just how in love he was; it wasn't easy to fake indignant with that eye-crinkling, bright and wide grin just inches from her face.

“Even if you look like a shriveled up prune left out in the sun, I'll still think you're the most devastatingly handsome man I've ever known.”

Leslie threw her arms over Ben's shoulders and kissed him, sighing with happiness when she felt Ben's arms go around her waist in a tight and comforting hold.

“Devastatingly handsome, huh? I've decided that I’ll keep you.”

She stayed wrapped up in Ben's embrace for a moment, her cheeks beginning to hurt from smiling when her towel finally slipped off her narrow hips.

“I love you, but I don't want to stand here naked,” Leslie murmured into Ben's shoulder, earning her another of Ben's silent laughs that made his chest shake. Ben pulled back, gave Leslie a playful swat on the tush, earning a surprised squeak from Leslie and a return swat. They got dressed, walked back into the living room where Leslie gave an exhausted sigh at the remains of their little picnic.

“Here, let me.”

Leslie gave Ben a grateful grin and leaned against the wall as Ben swept everything save the champagne flutes and bottle into the trash can.

“You find the cork. I'll wrap the glasses.”

Leslie kissed Ben on the lips with a big, noisy smack and wedged the cork back in. “I think I could sleep for fourteen hours straight.”

“Me too. But I need to get some dinner first.”

Leslie turned, her mouth falling open in shock. “And what was all of that?” she asked, waving in the vague direction of the trashcan.

“Um, appetizers?”

Ben looked so hang dog sheepish that Leslie couldn't help but laugh at him. “I forget you haven’t had a proper meal in awhile.” She held the door for Ben, looping her arm into Ben's as they started out across the street.

“I'm glad you remembered that because I had my hopes set on some JJ’s. And I haven't seen him in ages, he - ”

“Ben Wyatt, I swear on everything, if you tell JJ we're engaged before we even tell Ann or my mom - ”

Ben bit his lip as he stopped walking, his eyes big and watery and fuck, this was not going to be a good start to a marriage if all it took was one puppy dog eyed look from her soon-to-be - 

“No. I'm serious, Ben!” Leslie tried really hard to fight the smile off her face, because she really was serious about this. Super serious. “You just want to tell someone, and you cannot tell JJ that we are getting married before you tell our family.”

Ben dropped his forehead to Leslie's shoulder. Leslie stroked the flat of her hand along Ben's back automatically, waiting.

“Leslie, you said 'our family.' We're really going to do this, aren't we?”

Leslie kissed the top of Ben's head and asked softly, “Are you sure you want to?”

Ben looked up and oh, right, there were three smiles that Leslie loved best. She thought to herself that she'd call this one Ben's I'll love you forever smile. It looked the way her own I'll love you forever smile felt at least.

“Completely.”

Leslie hummed a happy noise, kissing Ben softly on the corner of his mouth. “You still can't tell JJ first though.”

“Leslie!” Ben whined. “I have to tell someone, and I have to right now.”

“You are the most pathetic thing,” Leslie shook her head in mock sadness. “Just pitiful. And you can tell someone right now.” Leslie fussed with the front of Ben's shirt, her smile soft and loving.

“Leslie?”

“Yes?”

“I'm going to marry you.”

One day, that wouldn't be so thrilling. One day, the thought of that might be as normal to hear as “I'm getting some milk at the store,” or “I heard there was an eventful Meet the Press this morning.” One day, the thought that she was marrying the love of her life would just be something normal, almost like white noise in the background. Maybe.

But today it was simply the most wonderful thing Leslie had ever heard in her life. She looked up quickly, blinking to keep any tears from falling and laughed at herself. She cleared her throat and smiled back at Ben, almost crying again from the simple joy radiating off of her fiance.

“Lucky you,” Leslie kissed Ben again, her smile trembling at the edges from the emotions welling up inside of her. “Lucky me.”

“I get to tell Ann,” Ben said, his own voice sounding a little creaky. They continued walking the rest of the way to the restaurant arm in arm and arguing playfully over who got to tell their family first.

“Then I get to tell Chris,” Leslie countered. “Oh, and I’ll call Henry first.”

“Fine by me. And I'll mention to Ann tomorrow that we celebrated our upcoming nuptials by testing the water pressure in our new house - ”

“Don't even try. I don’t think she can look you in the eye after the last story I told her about us.”

Ben laughed, his eyes crinkling up in a way that made Leslie's stomach loop and flip in the best of ways. He took Leslie's hand in his, kissed the back in a gentlemanly flourish and tucked it safely in the crook of his elbow, letting Leslie direct their pace. “Whatever you say, sweetheart.”

And yeah, that had been the very best start to the rest of their lives.


End file.
